President Iohannis attends Te Deum service at Patriarchal Cathedral occasioned by Romanian Principalities Union Day : In difficult times, the real statesmen should act to the citizens’ benefit

President Klaus Iohannis attended the Te Deum religious service at the Patriarchal Cathedral on Thursday, officiated by Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church (BOR), occasioned by the celebration of the Romanian Principalities Union Day.

The head of the state laid a wreath at the statue of Ruler
Alexandru Ioan Cuza and, as of 11:00hrs, he is attending at the “Patriarch
Teoctist” Hall of the Palace of the Patriarchate the scientific
communications session called “The Romanian Principalities Union, the
basis of the Romanian modern state,” organized by the Romanian Academy in
collaboration with the Romanian Patriarchate.

Ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, metropolitans Nifon of Wallachia
and Sofronie Miclescu of Moldavia, alongside the other founders of the Romanian
Principalities Union were commemorated on Thursday, within the Holy Mass
officiated at the Patriarchal Cathedral.

After the Holy Mass, the Te Deum service was officiated
“as a gratification brought to God for the accomplishment of this
fundamental act in our national history, to which the Romanian Orthodox Church
has contributed significantly.”

In difficult times, the real statesmen should act to the citizens’ benefit

President Klaus Iohannis stated on Thursday that the example
of the elites and their action in 1859 show that “in difficult times, the
true statesmen should rise to the height of the great challenges and act to the
citizens’ benefit.”

“In 1859, the Romanian Principalities embraced European
values and entered an ample process of state modernization and consolidation.
In 2019, Romania’s destiny can no longer be separated from the EU as a project
of peace, prosperity, security, equity and cohesion for its citizens For 160
years, Romanians have come closer to the fundamental humanist values of Europe
by building a state of law, of democracy and of human dignity, of freedom and
equality. This journey has been marked by vision, sacrifice, commitment and
oblation.The elites’ example and the message of their actions 160 years ago is
still a guide and shows us that in difficult times, the real statesmen must
rise to the height of the great challenges and act for the benefit of the
citizens,” the head of state said at the scientific communication session
called “The Romanian Principalities Union, the basis of the Romanian
modern state,” organized at the Patriarchal Palace.

The head of state showed that the union of the Romanian
Principalities took place in a complex political context both internally and
internationally, and quoted Mihail Kogalniceanu – “Make the law replace
the arbitrary! Make the law strong!.”

“These principles so clearly expressed by Mihail
Kogalniceanu represent the foundation on which our nation was built and one of
the most important contributions we have received from the generation that made
the union. The historical moment of 1859 was possible because the elites of
that period have set high goals that would correspond to people’s aspirations,
and for the achievement of these national goals they have strengthened the law,
not weaken it, built institutions, not encouraged the abuse of power. When we
celebrate the first union, we have to remember also the abnegation of the
struggle for the consolidation of some powerful and functional public
authorities and institutions. The elites of the period understood that beyond
the language and blood, there is a need of a state on the Western, liberal
model, in which politics and administration seek to strengthen the economy of
the Romanian provinces, to modernise agriculture, to build new ways of
communication, to open up in all areas towards Europe. If we are disappointed
that Moldova has not recovered the economic gap and is not connected by a
modern infrastructure to the rest of the country, benefiting instead of renewed
promises, every January 24th, then let us put aside the populism and return to
our people’s priorities, as they were pursued with energy by Alexandru Ioan
Cuza his short reign,” Iohannis stated.

He said that the Romanian Principalities Union is “one
of the historical moments that are closest to our souls.”

The head of the state evoked the reforms made by ruler
Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

“The consistency of the reforms initiated by Alexandru
Ioan Cuza and the relevance of their results have paved the way for the
modernisation of our country. In the history of Romania, there were never more
many, more urgent and more important things to do than those that were done
after the Principalities Union, in areas such as education, administration,
national defence, agriculture and many others. The most important modernisation
processes of our country have their roots in the reform effort, in the energy
and vision of the elites of that period,” he said.

President Iohannis stressed that the Greater Union as a
“cardinal” achievement of the Romanians would not have been possible
without the first Union of 1859.

“Every 24 January we think about such an important
legacy that ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza has left us. It is a necessary reflection
if we want Romania to continue to develop and make progresses. We must learn
for the past for the benefit of today’s generations and of the legacy that we
are bound to leave to future generations,” he said.

Earlier, President Klaus Iohannis attended the Te Deum
religious service at the Patriarchal Cathedral and laid a wreath at the statue
of ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

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